The Running Thread

[MC Bodge]

Good. I think it could help a lot.

Ps. Could you take your trainers with you on work trips?

[ewenm]

MC Bodge said:

Good. I think it could help a lot.

Ps. Could you take your trainers with you on work trips?

I used to travel a lot with work and always took running kit with me. I found it was a great way to unwind at the end of the day and to explore new places.

E65Ross said:

Running saved me

It keeps me sane. My mental health takes a serious knock when I can't run.

[RizzoTheRat]

I do sometimes, and the site I was at for the last couple of weeks has a nice 5k path around the perimeter fence, but I'm too lazy to get up for a run before breakfast and we often didn't finish work until 7, by which point was dark and dinner was about to start. However a fortnight of 3 cooked meals a day and not a lot of running isn't ideal for my physique.

ewenm said:

It keeps me sane. My mental health takes a serious knock when I can't run.

I used to find Jitsu was great for that, amazing how calm and relaxed you feel after a couple of hours mashing each other in to the mat Alas I stopped training due to a bad back, and didn't start doing any other form of exercise to replace it.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Wednesday 8th April 11:00

[MC Bodge]

Having finally upped the duration and intensity of my running again, my PumaFaas 300 V2 and 300S road shoes are now squeezing my toes a bit.

Any suggestions for similarly light 4-8mm (or maybe 0mm, as I do wear Vivobarefoot shoes for work and boots for walking) drop shoes with a narrow mid-foot and a wider toe box? I will try them on of course.

Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 8th April 13:28

[E65Ross]

MC Bodge said:

Having finally upped the duration and intensity of my running again, my PumaFaas 300 V2 and 300S road shoes are now squeezing my toes a bit.

Any suggestions for similarly light 4-8mm (or maybe 0mm, as I do wear Vivobarefoot shoes for work and boots for walking) drop shoes with a narrow mid-foot and a wider toe box? I will try them on of course.

Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 8th April 13:28

If you're after a fast-ish Road shoe I can recommend the Asics Gel-DS Trainer, they're great for longer speed work as they still have a good amount of cushioning yet are a bit lighter than high mileage shoes. If you want something faster, I adore the Asics Gel-DS racer. I use these for 10k or further races or most of my speed work. They'll be just about adequate for cushioning for a marathon but they aren't a high mileage shoe.

Going even further and continuing with Asics (I may like Asics.....) then the piranha is an insanely light Road shoe which I'd use for 10k at the most. They are about the same weight as my track spikes.... Utterly insane.

All have a decent toe box in my opinion.

[Cybertronian]

MC Bodge said:

Any suggestions for similarly light 4-8mm (or maybe 0mm, as I do wear Vivobarefoot shoes for work and boots for walking) drop shoes with a narrow mid-foot and a wider toe box? I will try them on of course.

If you can still find them, the original Adidas Adizero Adios Boosts fit that description apart from the heel drop (they're more like 10mm). I found the toe box too wide for my tastes, but if you like them, they shouldn't cost much seeing as they were replaced last autumn.

[MC Bodge]

Thanks for the suggestions

[markh1973]

MC Bodge said:

Thanks for the suggestions

Could also check out the various Nike Free shoes - vary between 4 and 8mm drop.

[krallicious]

First run in 3 weeks for me yesterday. A combination of skiing and crap weather got in the way but a quick 6.2k was hard going. One of our group is back running with us now after a winter break and he just likes to run until he cannot go any further so I will be changing my Wednesday run to a tempo one and going for a long one on Fridays. 6 weeks 'til the next half and 8 until the first marathon of the year!

[Foliage]

I fancy trying some barefoot shoes, are they good? I could do with some more trainers

[ewenm]

Foliage said:

I fancy trying some barefoot shoes, are they good? I could do with some more trainers

Vibram Five-Finger types? Some people like them, some don't. "Good" is subjective

[Foliage]

ewenm said:

Vibram Five-Finger types? Some people like them, some don't. "Good" is subjective

Im not getting five-fingers firstly they make me cringe and secondly they have been heavily debunked, vibram made it all up.

I was thinking more the thin soled type of trainer.

[ewenm]

Foliage said:

Im not getting five-fingers firstly they make me cringe and secondly they have been heavily debunked, vibram made it all up.

I was thinking more the thin soled type of trainer.

There are two variables to consider. The drop and the cushioning.
The drop is the difference in height between heel and toe inside the shoe. The lower the drop, the harder you'll work your calves.
The cushioning (obviously) is how much protection you have from the terrain.

It sounds like you're considering low-drop, low-cushioning shoes, i.e. minimalist shoes. These have been around for years and used to be called "racing flats" - I've found they always make my calves ache after a session or race but they are light and feel "fast", but I can feel a lot more of the ground through them and sometimes end up with bruised feet due to stepping on rocks etc.

[MC Bodge]

Foliage said:

I fancy trying some barefoot shoes, are they good? I could do with some more trainers

I like running and walking in light, low drop shoes. They are not really suitable for people who heel strike though.

I have had a couple of pairs of Puma Faas 300 (7-8mm drop) road and a pair of the trail version, and a pair 300S (4mm drop) which I have found comfortable and about right for cushioning. I'm not sure I'd do a marathon in them (but not sure I'd ever do a road marathon anyway!)

Vivobarefoot do a range of thin soled, zero drop shoes and running shoes.

Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 9th April 10:07

[Smitters]

Phew - bit of mojo returning. Just been for my first decent run since being ill after a couple of plods. Managed a good 7km at 4.48/km, which is a little under my super-stretch Autumn target pace for the marathon. Nice to know I can go out and stretch the legs, even if it was pan-flat, which none of my races this year are.

Now time to pile in the vitamins, drink lots of water and recover well before my longest run of the year this weekend, and hope the effort doesn't open the door for lurgy again.

[bigandclever]

I KNEW IT!!!

Yeah, yeah, Daily Wail link ... How long distance running makes men attractive: Those who run endurance races get more dates and have a higher sex drive

[Foliage]

bigandclever said:

I KNEW IT!!!

Yeah, yeah, Daily Wail link ... How long distance running makes men attractive: Those who run endurance races get more dates and have a higher sex drive

LA times has a similar story http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-survey...

[MC Bodge]

bigandclever said:

I KNEW IT!!!

Yeah, yeah, Daily Wail link ... How long distance running makes men attractive: Those who run endurance races get more dates and have a higher sex drive

Well, yes.

It's a terrible article, though.

Ps. My ring fingers are longer than my index fingers and I am bald. I am a MAN!!!

[MC Bodge]

Smitters said:

Phew - bit of mojo returning. Just been for my first decent run since being ill after a couple of plods. Managed a good 7km at 4.48/km, which is a little under my super-stretch Autumn target pace for the marathon. Nice to know I can go out and stretch the legs, even if it was pan-flat, which none of my races this year are.

Now time to pile in the vitamins, drink lots of water and recover well before my longest run of the year this weekend, and hope the effort doesn't open the door for lurgy again.

Good effort.

I was struck down by a bit of the lurgy the other day. Extremely tired, sweats, shivers, increased pulse, sinus pain, no energy and all over muscle aches. I was dosed up on tablets and only out of bed for a couple of hours yesterday.
-I thought I was going to be ill for 2 or 3 weeks (as my wife has been) and lose all of my recent fitness gains.

Surprisingly, I feel almost normal again this afternoon. Very odd indeed.

If I still feel ok, I'll attempt a run tomorrow.

[Roger645]

MC Bodge said:

Having finally upped the duration and intensity of my running again, my PumaFaas 300 V2 and 300S road shoes are now squeezing my toes a bit.

Any suggestions for similarly light 4-8mm (or maybe 0mm, as I do wear Vivobarefoot shoes for work and boots for walking) drop shoes with a narrow mid-foot and a wider toe box? I will try them on of course.

Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 8th April 13:28

Bit late to this but you could try some of the Brooks pure range, the pure flow model is worth a try.